Remove unwanted printers from your Windows computer when they linger longer than needed.
Frequently, it becomes necessary to disconnect and reconnect your printer for troubleshooting. Additionally, maintaining an organized list of connected devices in Windows 11 and 10 involves removing outdated and unused printers.
You can eliminate any linked printer through the Settings panel. If that proves ineffective, alternative methods, including the Command Prompt, can be employed to remove the printer. In this guide, we illustrate various approaches to deleting a printer on Windows computers.
1. Removing a Printer from Windows Using the Settings
Adding or removing printers from the Settings app is a straightforward process. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Navigate to the Bluetooth & devices tab in the left pane.
To remove a printer:
3. Click the Remove button located in the top right corner.
4. Confirm the action by clicking Yes.
If you encounter an error, resolve it by stopping the Print Spooler service in the Services snap-in before trying again!
How to Halt the Print Spooler Service
If Windows encounters difficulty in removing the printer and generates an error, attempt to halt the Print Spooler service before removing the printer. The Print Spooler service is vital for facilitating communication between your PC and the printer regarding print jobs. However, it can occasionally pose an obstacle, preventing the uninstallation of the printer.
To stop the Print Spooler service
1. Press Win + R to open Run.
2. Type services.msc and click OK to access the Services snap-in.
3. In the Services window, locate the Print Spooler service.
4. Right-click on Print Spooler and choose Stop.
Minimize the Services window.
Now, navigate to the Windows Settings panel, go to Bluetooth & devices > Scanners and Printers, and attempt to remove your printer device.
After successfully removing the printer, return to the Services window.
Right-click on Print Spooler and select Start.
Restarting the Print Spooler service is essential. If disabled, you may encounter the “printer spooler service is not running” error on your PC.
2. Uninstall the Printer Software to Remove the Printer
If the option to delete the printer still persists, you can completely uninstall it by removing the associated printer driver. You can accomplish this by using the Apps & Features tab in Windows 10 and 11.
To uninstall the printer drivers:
1. Press Win + I to open Settings.
2. Click on the Apps tab in the left pane. Allow a few seconds for the app list to populate.
3. Scroll through or search for the printer driver in the app list.
4. Once you locate the printer driver, click the three-dots menu.
5. Select Uninstall and confirm the action by clicking Uninstall again.
6. Wait for the driver to uninstall, then check for any other drivers or software related to the printer and remove them as well.
7. After uninstalling, restart your PC.
3. Removing the Printer Using the Control Panel
You can utilize the classic Control Panel to manage your printers, especially if the printer wasn’t removed correctly during the uninstallation process.
To remove the printer using the Control Panel:
1. Press Win + R to open Run.
2. Type control and click OK to open the Control Panel, or use the Windows search bar to find it.
3. In the Control Panel, navigate to Hardware and Sound.
4. Click on Devices and Printers.
5. Under the Printers section, find and select the printer device you want to remove.
6. Right-click on the printer and choose Remove Device.
7. Confirm the action by clicking Yes.
4. Uninstall the Printer Using Windows’ Print Server Properties
Occasionally, removing the printer device may not entirely eliminate the drivers, potentially causing your printer to malfunction. In such instances, the Print Server Properties dialog can be employed to thoroughly uninstall the installed printer drivers.
To remove the printer drivers:
1. Press Win + R to launch Run.
2. Type control and click OK.
3. In the Control Panel window, navigate to Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers.
4. Choose any available printer and click on Print server properties.
Open the Drivers tab within the Print Server Properties dialog.
5. Under Installed printer drivers, select the printer driver for uninstallation and click Remove.
Subsequently, opt for the Remove driver and driver package choice.
6. Confirm the action by clicking OK to remove the driver.
7. Restart your PC to finalize the driver removal process.
5. Remove the Printer Using the Device Manager
Device Manager serves as a comprehensive tool for managing both peripheral and internal devices connected to your system. It allows you to troubleshoot your Windows system, update drivers, add new devices, and disconnect connected devices.
To uninstall the printer via Device Manager:
1. Press Win + X to access the WinX menu.
2. Click on Device Manager in the context menu.
3. In Device Manager, navigate to View and choose Show hidden devices.
Next, expand the Printers section to locate your printer.
4. Right-click on the printer and select Uninstall device.
Choose the option to Delete the driver software for this device and click Uninstall.
5. If the Printers section is not visible, expand the Print queues section and repeat the steps to remove the printer.
6. Close Device Manager and restart your computer to finalize the uninstallation process.
6. How to Uninstall a Printer Using the Command Prompt
For those who prefer the Command Prompt over the traditional UI, you can delete the printer from your PC using the “dl” command.
To uninstall the printer using the Command Prompt:
1. Press Win and type cmd in the Windows search bar.
2. Right-click on the Command Prompt option and select Run as administrator.
3. In the Command Prompt window, type the following command to view all the installed printers on your PC:
To delete a printer, type the following command:
In the above command, replace Your_Printer_Name with the name of your printer.
4. Hit Enter to execute the command.
Remove the Printer Driver Using Print Management
Print Management, a Windows utility overseeing printers, drivers, ports, and servers, provides a means to eliminate printer drivers from your Windows computer. It’s important to note that the Print Management utility is not accessible in the Home edition of the Windows operating system.
To remove a printer driver using Print Management:
1. Press Win + R to open Run.
2. Type printmanagement.msc and click OK to launch Print Management.
In the left pane, expand the Print Servers section.
3. Click on your Local Printer server name to expand it.
4. Select Printers to display all installed printers.
In the right pane, right-click on the printer you wish to remove.
5. Select Delete and confirm the action by clicking Yes.
8. Delete a Printer Driver with PowerShell
Alternatively, you can employ PowerShell to delete the printer driver package as a quicker method for removing multiple printers on your Windows computer.
To remove a printer driver using PowerShell:
1. Press the Win key and type powershell.
2. Right-click on Windows PowerShell and choose Run as administrator.
3. In the PowerShell dialog, type the following command and press Enter to view the list of installed printers:
Once you have the list of installed printers, use the following command to remove the desired printer:
In the above command, replace Printer-Name with the name of the printer you intend to remove.